BASEBALL

BASEBALL; Bonilla Feels Less Pressure Upon Return

By JASON DIAMOS

Published: November 19, 1998

In one breath, he insists he has learned from his mistakes and has not only matured, but also changed. In the next breath, Bobby Bonilla says, ''I'm the same guy.''

Complex as ever, Bobby Bo is officially back home, even if Shea Stadium in Flushing, Queens, is one borough from his native Bronx and half an hour from his home in Greenwich, Conn. The question now is, are the Mets truly ready for Bonilla's return?

The Mets hope they are, and they welcomed him back yesterday with a news conference at Shea. But Bonilla's return wasn't the only news of the day as the Mets kept busy on the free-agent front.

*They re-signed the valuable left-handed reliever Dennis Cook for three years at $6.6 million.

*They quickly revised their initial offer to the free-agent outfielder B. J. Surhoff from three years at $12.75 million to three years with an option for a fourth in a deal that could be worth as much as $17.25 million.

*They seemed to be backing off their pursuit of the free-agent outfielder Brian Jordan, who visited with the Yankees yesterday. Jordan is supposed to meet with the Mets today but seems to be leaning toward signing with the Atlanta Braves.

It could be argued that the bigger news of the day was the re-signing of Cook, who was probably the most consistent member of the bullpen last season. Or the Mets' intensified pursuit of Surhoff, which is why they are probably shying away from Jordan.

But the cameras and the questions belonged to the 35-year-old Bonilla, who was reacquired by the Mets last week to play right field and give Mike Piazza some protection in the middle of the lineup. As usual, Bonilla did not disappoint.

For starters, he said he did not think he was a controversial person. ''But,'' he quickly added, ''controversy just seems to follow me and I don't know why.''

One reason might be that Bonilla cannot keep himself from talking, something he basically admitted yesterday. Indeed, even as he arrived at Shea, he was being hounded by another annoying controversy, this one involving his negative remarks about Tommy Lasorda, which The Los Angeles Times reported on Monday. Bonilla said he was going to phone Lasorda (who happens to be Mets Manager Bobby Valentine's mentor) and apologize.

Who says you can't go home again?

Bonilla, for one, said he would not have changed a thing during his stormy initial tenure with the Mets from 1992-95, when he was expected to be the centerpiece of the team for years but never exceeded 34 homers or 87 runs batted in for a season. He learned not only about himself, he said, but about his hometown as well.

''I learned to laugh at myself,'' he said, referring to one tabloid cartoon that portrayed him in diapers. ''No matter what anybody writes.''

And maybe there was one thing he would have changed, after all.

''I said something at that first press conference that I shouldn't have said,'' Bonilla said yesterday.

He was obviously referring to the quip he made about how no one would be able to wipe the smile off his face, the one that came with Bonilla -- who had just become the highest-paid player in the game -- from Pittsburgh to New York.

That Bonilla is not nearly the highest-paid player on his team now is one reason the Mets think his second stay will be much easier.

''The fact that the situation is different will be a plus,'' said General Manager Steve Phillips, who presided over the news conference on his second full day back after an eight-day leave of absence. ''Before, he was the highest-paid player.''

Along with that, Phillips said, came expectations. And added to that, Phillips said, was the way Bonilla behaved. Or, as some might say, misbehaved.

''My hope is he blends in more this time,'' Phillips said. ''There aren't the same expectations. And now we have other quote-makers on the team.''

The switch-hitting Bonilla will play in the outfield for the Mets, even though Valentine said there was a remote possibility he could also be used at third base. When asked about his defensive ability, Bonilla said, ''I hope when it comes up, I can catch it when it's on its way down.''

That brought a high-five from Valentine because it was a reference to a comment Valentine had made during the initial news conference to announce the trade. At that time, Valentine was talking about the risk and reward of obtaining Bonilla -- the reward having to do with Bonilla's offensive prowess, the risk coming with his oft-maligned glove.

When asked yesterday about where he would prefer to play, Bonilla said, ''In the lineup somewhere, as long as it ain't as the designated hitter.''

Considering that the Mets play in the National League, that brought laughs, and recognition that Bonilla was referring to a controversy during his days in Baltimore, when he and the Oriole manager, Davey Johnson, disagreed on where Bonilla should play.

Once Johnson became the manager in Los Angeles this off season, Bonilla -- who played hurt in 1998 -- pretty much knew his days there were numbered.

''I knew my chances were limited in L.A.,'' said Bonilla, who hit just .237 with 7 homers and 30 runs batted in for the Dodgers in 72 games after he was traded from Florida in the deal that sent Piazza away from Los Angeles on May 15. ''But I didn't know it would be that quick.''

That it was back to the Mets came as something of a surprise to Bonilla, who was dealt by the Dodgers for the Mets' underachieving reliever Mel Rojas. Bonilla's initial reaction when he learned of the trade while on a trip to Mexico?

''I was a little reserved,'' Bonilla said. ''I was excited, but then I pulled back. I have a 10-year-old and a 5-year-old. And you've got to be careful. It affects them more than you. And I know how it is here.''